YuGiOh: A Christmas Carol
by Miriku-'-'-Yami no Hikari
Summary: A Christmas tribute to our own little Scrooge, Seto Kaiba. Will he be able to redeem himself before Christmas Day arrives? PS, I know this is an often used idea, but I'm hoping my version has at least SOME semblance of originality. [COMPLETE]
1. The Visit

**Eep...don't kill meh, please! This is only until I get some inspiration for "MY Life, MY Rules!"--or until this one's finished. Whichever comes first. **

**Disclaimer Dude:** Charles Dickens owns--well, _owned_--"A Christmas Carol". Kazuki Takahashi owns YuGiOh.

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**The Visit**

It was nearing five o'clock PM, Christmas Eve. Down on the streets, people bustled to and fro, chattering and wishing each other a merry Christmas. Children sang carols on the street corners. And snow drifted down from the darkening blue sky, swirling gently as it fell to the ground.

But not everyone in the city was outside enjoying the winter weather.

_Tap…_

_Tap…_

_Tap…_

Seto Kaiba growled, looking up from his computer screen. He'd left strict orders that no one was to bother him—and yet, someone knocked on his office door.

"Who is it?" he barked irritably.

The door opened a crack, and he caught a glimpse of crimson iris. "It's just me."

Kaiba sighed. "What is it, Mutou?"

Yami opened the door a little more, so that his spiked bangs dangled in through the crack. The former pharaoh had been working at KaibaCorp for about ten months, and had already proved a valuable asset—he could write, type, and recall information faster than any other employee currently working there. His memory was almost as powerful as one of Kaiba's supercomputers.

"Sorry to bother you," he said, "but I was just wondering if I could take the day off tomorrow. You know—because of Christmas."

"Feh." Kaiba turned back to his computer, watching Yami out of the corner of his eye. "The answer is no. This business needs as many employees working as possible—Christmas or no Christmas."

Yami scowled at him, pushing a little farther into the room. "I'm only one man, Kaiba. Surely the business can do without _one_ man for _one_ day."

Kaiba snorted. "And if I let _you_ off, what of everyone else?"

"'Everyone else' doesn't have a real family," Yami pointed out. "Do they?"

Kaiba sighed. Once again, Yami's logic was impeccable.

"Fine," he growled. "Just expect to be working overtime the next day to make up for it."

Yami threw him a sketchy sort of salute. "Yessir." He left, shutting the door behind him.

Kaiba gave his head a little shake. It unnerved him slightly, the way Yami enjoyed his work. No matter what task he was up against, he would set to it, work until it was done, and look eagerly around for more.

At that moment, Yami poked his spiky head back into the room. "We're having a get-together at the game shop tomorrow—a Christmas party. Would you be interested in coming?"

"No, I would _not!_" Kaiba snapped. "I wouldn't be caught _dead_ with you people!"

Yami simply shrugged. "Just asking. To every man his own, I suppose." He left again.

Kaiba rolled his eyes, turning back to the computer. He _still_ didn't know why he'd bothered to hire Yami—as he had so cryptically been pointed out to, none of his other employees had any family whatsoever, while _he_ had both himself and Yuugi. It was most likely because he worked faster than any other man—or woman—and KaibaCorp, excluding Kaiba himself.

Five long beeps sounded over the PA system—five o'clock. Time for all of the lower employees to hit the hay.

Yami pushed open the door again, all the way this time.

"What is it _now?_" Kaiba asked irritably.

Yami just smiled at him. "Merry Christmas, boss-man." He shut the door again with a click.

Kaiba snorted, and resumed typing. _Feh. Merry Christmas, indeed._

He had no time for things like Christmas and holidays; there was work to be done, always more work. Ever since Ryuji Otogi had died two years ago, he'd had to take care of both halves of their business contract—producing Dungeon Dice Monsters _and_ marketing it. It had dropped a lot of dead weight on his shoulders.

_Maybe I can dump some of this on Mutou…he's eager enough…_

_**I wouldn't, if I were you.**_

Kaiba started, and looked around. He could have sworn he heard a slightly familiar voice; but no one was there.

Great. Now he was hearing things. Too much work was getting to him—and dumping it on Yami was looking like more and more of a good idea.

_**Now really, Kaiba.**_

Kaiba stood up, giving his head a little shake. He was under too much stress—better to go back to the mansion now than to stay late at the offices, working like he usually did.

He exited his office, took the elevator down to the bottom floor, snapped at his secretary not to forward him any calls or visitors, and headed out into the lot. He reached up to the microphone hidden in the collar of his trench coat, preparing to call for Roland and the limo—but thought better of it, and instead set off down the street at a brisk pace.

Christmas decorations were everywhere. Ribbons and wreaths; lights and bells; holly and tinsel. As he walked, Kaiba brushed past brightly-dressed people who juggled multiple bags and boxes in their arms, or who carried stacks of cards. They all talked and laughed; they were all wishing each other a Merry Christmas.

_Christmas. Feh._ He hurried on, ignoring the happy, senseless chatter about him.

On one corner, Kaiba passed a choir of ten or fifteen kids—only from eight to ten, he guessed. They were singing a Christmas carol. One child in the front was holding a sign;

**DOMINO ELEMENTARY  
****VOLUNTARY CHORUS GROUP  
****Director: Shizuka Kawai  
****Collecting for charities.  
****Please donate!**

Another boy was holding a coffee can, with "Charity Donations" printed on the front. People appeared to have been giving generously; the can was already nearly half full of coins, checks, and bills.

All at once, the other singers' voices died down to a low hum, and one voice rose above them. It was a female voice, set at a sweet treble.

"Love and joy come to you,  
And to you good Christmas too,  
And God bless you and send you a happy New Year,  
And God send you a happy New Year…"

Glancing at the choir as he passed, he saw that it was 'the mutt's sister'—Shizuka. She was the oldest of the group, apparently. She continued her solo, the other voices just a hum in the background.

He passed by, but got the strangest feeling he was being watched. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder—and sure enough, though she was still singing her solo, Shizuka was watching him with thoughtful eyes. He squared his shoulders and walked on, until the choir music, which had swelled back up to full, faded into the background.

Nothing else happened until Kaiba reached his mansion. He shut the door behind him, the sound echoing through the darkened building, and entered the kitchen. He set his briefcase on the kitchen table, and headed back up the stairs.

Suddenly, the big grandfather clock in the living room began to toll. Kaiba stopped and looked at his watch, startled. It was five fifteen—and yet, the clock seemed to be tolling twelve.

The pendulum clock at the top of the stairway began to chime, in exact rhythm with the grandfather clock.

Alarm clocks in the bedrooms began ringing.

In the kitchen, the stove timer beeped.

Soon, the noise was deafening. Kaiba pressed his hands to his ears, but he could still hear it.

"SHUT UP!"

The house fell silent once more. Giving his head a little shake, Kaiba continued to climb. He pushed open the door to his room—and recoiled with a gasp.

A young man sat on the armchair that faced the door. His black hair was oddly spiked, held up from his face by a red headband. A die hung from his left ear. His closed eyes were outlined with kohl. And an iron chain was shackled to his ankle—a chain that was almost fifteen feet long, with links the size of Kaiba's hand and almost as thick as his wrist.

But none of that was what had made Kaiba recoil. It was the fact that this man's colors were muted and grey, and that he was almost transparent—and it was the fact that he _knew_ him.

Ryuji Otogi raised his eyes. "I've been waiting for you, Kaiba."

"You're supposed to be dead," Kaiba said accusingly.

"Who says I'm not?" Otogi asked dryly. "I didn't come here to trade references. I came here because you're in danger."

Kaiba snorted. "Right. And, pray tell, what danger could I possibly be in?"

Otogi's face was dead serious. "You're in danger of becoming like me."

"Becoming a ghost with a chain around my ankle?" Kaiba quipped.

In truth, he was a bit afraid of Otogi. The ghost was something that couldn't be explained by rational means. Not that he hadn't already tried—in his mind, of course.

Otogi's eyes seemed to bore into him. "It's worse than having a chain around your ankle. I've learned to deal with that much. It's being forced to wander…forever…without rest…" He covered his eyes. "It's pure torture. I feel sorry that you'll have to bear it."

Kaiba snorted. "You? Sorry for me? _You're_ the one who's been dead for two years!"

Otogi folded his hands in his lap. "Your fate is worse than mine, Kaiba—ten times worse."

He indicated the chain. "See this? This represents all my misdeeds—all my hatreds. All the times when I could have helped, and instead I hurt. You, too, have a chain."

Almost automatically, Kaiba glanced down at his own ankles.

Otogi laughed—a short bark. "You can't see it, old partner. Not until you're dead. But _I_ see it." He sighed. "Your chain is long, Kaiba—hang it off the top of your office building, and it will coil on the street below. Its links—" he held up his own chain. "—each is twice as big as these, and twice as thick. You've worked on it for a long time."

Kaiba was feeling afraid again. He didn't want to end up like Otogi—a haunted specter, forced to wander forever, dragging a chain of immense proportions.

"Is there…any way to redeem myself?"

Otogi smiled slightly. "There is one."

He stood up. "Three spirits will come to you. The first when the clock strikes one; the second when the clock strikes two; the third—in his own good time."

He began to fade. "Listen and learn—or there won't be any redemption possible."

And he was gone.

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**So...? Hehehe...does Kaiba make a good Scrooge, or what?**

**Review, please!**


	2. Iwaku No Seirei

**Just one thing, and then you guys can have chapter two:**

**Fuck off, Traveling Reviewer.

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Iwaku No Seirei **

BONNG!

Kaiba jolted awake as the grandfather clock's deep tone echoed throughout the mansion.

"One o'clock," he murmured, unconsciously smoothing his black night robe. "This is when the first spirit is supposed to come…" He snorted. "Unless I dreamt it all up, of course."

Cautiously, he pulled back the hangings of his bed. Everything was exactly as he had left it following Otogi's visit, which he had immediately gone to sleep after.

He slid out of bed, and checked the whole room—just to be sure. Nothing.

"So it _was_ just a dream," he murmured.

Suddenly, blinding white light filled the room. "Are you so sure of that, Seto Kaiba?"

Kaiba whipped around—and immediately had to shield his eyes. The light was blinding in that direction. All he could tell was that someone was standing in the middle of his room, and it was he that the light emanated from.

"Who the heck _are_ you?" he asked.

The voice laughed softly. "I am know as Iwaku—the Spirit of Christmas Past."

"And why are you here?"

"To help you."

Kaiba snorted. "I don't need any help."

Iwaku seemed to radiate amusement. "Your redemption, Kaiba."

"Whatever," he muttered. "What's with the spotlighting, anyway?"

Soft laughter echoed through the room again. "This? 'Tis nothing more than the light of Truth."

"Well, would you mind putting it out?" Kaiba asked testily. "I'd rather not get blinded before my time, thanks."

There was a sudden silence. When Iwaku spoke again, his voice was deadly quiet. "You would wish me to put out Truth? Do you suppose your world is not infested with enough lies already? If my light were to disappear, do you have any notion of the chaos that would follow?"

Kaiba winced. He knew what utter chaos looked like—when you knew people like Yuugi and Yami Mutou, it was hard not to. But this—whatever it was—seemed to be talking about something far worse.

Iwaku seemed to relax. The light dimmed down, until Kaiba could look directly at him without being blinded.

Iwaku was exactly as tall as Kaiba. His features were aquiline, and strangely serious. His silky, snowy white hair fell softly about his shoulders, and the silver crown on his brow sprayed flickers and flashes of multicolor light onto the walls. Angular, chocolate brown eyes were narrowed a bit in thought as the spirit watched Kaiba's reaction. He wore a white robe with silver trim, and his feet were bare.

The resemblance to one of the members of the so-called 'geek squad' set Kaiba's mind reeling.

Iwaku laughed again. "Yes, Kaiba. You have met my Earth-bound brother, Ryou. Although I doubt you have taken the time to _know_ him."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Iwaku cocked his head, as if listening to something. His hair rustled back—and, with a start, Kaiba realized that his ears sloped back to a delicate point.

"Come," he said suddenly, extending his hand. "Take my hand. We must go."

"Go?" Kaiba asked skeptically. "Go where?"

Iwaku didn't reply. Feeling a bit foolish, Kaiba reached out and took the spirit's hand.

Iwaku nodded—and spread a pair of magnificent wings. They were pure white, shading to cobalt blue at the bottom. The wings sprang from between his shoulder blades, arched up over his head, and swept down to touch the floor.

"This is _not_ happening to me," Kaiba muttered—mostly out of habit.

Iwaku smiled. He raised his free hand, and the window flew open with a bang. One powerful sweep of his wings, and they were out. Kaiba expected to see the city going by beneath them—but instead saw nothing but darkness, flickered with crystals of shimmering light.

"Where are we going?" he breathed.

Iwaku continued to smile. "To your past."

And suddenly, they were in front of an old building.

Iwaku watched Kaiba's startled reaction with calm eyes. "You know this place?"

Kaiba gave his head a little shake. "_Know_ it? This is the orphanage I grew up in."

Iwaku nodded. "Come—let us go inside." So saying, he stepped through the closed door.

Kaiba stared after him. There was no way he was going to be able to do that—no way in heaven or hell.

Iwaku peered back out through the door. "Fear not—these are but shadows. You cannot be seen; cannot be heard; cannot be felt. This door, at least, you may pass through safely." He chuckled. "But I would avoid the walls, if I were you."

Kaiba grimaced, stepping through the door. He looked around. Everything was the same—everything. Exactly the way he'd remembered it.

Iwaku stood by the stairway, watching him, wings once more tightly furled against his back. "You know the way?"

"I could walk it blindfolded," Kaiba murmured, heading up the stairs. Iwaku followed, smiling to himself.

As he walked, Kaiba began to remember things he hadn't thought of in ages. The way the food tasted; his daily schedule at this orphanage; all the people who had come for him, but didn't want Mokuba…

_Mokuba…_

Suddenly, Kaiba stopped dead in his tracks. He had come nearly face-to-face with an eleven-year-old version of himself.

The younger Kaiba was tapping on a door. "Hello? You in there?

A muffled voice came out from the room; "Yeah, why?"

"Can I come in?"

"Go ahead."

Kaiba followed his younger self into the room, Iwaku behind him. The younger Kaiba ran over to the bed, where a five-year-old boy with charcoal black hair lay face-down on the bed.

"Mokie? Mokuba?"

Mokuba looked up. He appeared to have been crying. "What?"

The younger Kaiba sat on the bed. "What's wrong?"

Mokuba sighed unhappily. "Everyone who comes—they all want _you,_ Seto. You're smart and fast, and all that…and I'm just a little kid…"

The younger Kaiba hugged Mokuba. "Don't worry, Mokie. I won't let them separate us."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Kaiba couldn't stand to watch any longer. He turned away, coming face-to-face with Iwaku.

"Such a small boy," the spirit murmured, "and with such an open heart. He was tough."

"Very tough," Kaiba agreed quietly.

Iwaku studied him thoughtfully. "You loved him greatly, didn't you?"

Kaiba closed his eyes. "Mokuba…I did. I still do."

"And he died…?"

"Yes."

Iwaku continued to study him. "Let me show you another time. Take my hand again."

Still a little doubtful, Kaiba took his hand. Iwaku unfurled his wings—and with a great leap, they were off.

Suddenly, Kaiba was watching from the sidelines as he dueled against—Yami.

They were at Duelist Kingdom; Kaiba was dueling Yami for star chips. Pegasus had kidnapped his little brother; if he lost, he would throw himself over the edge of the cliff they were dueling on.

Yami faltered. Something was struggling against him—something didn't want him to make that final attack.

"_Yuugi_ didn't want him to attack," Iwaku said quietly. "You didn't realize it then, but Yuugi was preventing the pharaoh from attacking you."

Kaiba sighed, almost imperceptibly. He _did_ know that—at least, now he did. Before, he'd thought that Yami was being a weakling—that Yuugi was a weakling.

He knew better now.

"Or…do you?" Iwaku murmured.

_I should know better. I really should._

Kaiba didn't see Iwaku's triumphant nod. "Come—you've seen enough. Take my hand again."

Kaiba did so. With another powerful sweep of his wings, Iwaku had them flying straight up at—and then through—the roof. Through swirling darkness, broken by crystals of light. And then—

They were back in Kaiba's own room. He collapsed gratefully onto his bed, exhausted.

Iwaku smiled at him. "Rest, Seto Kaiba—you have much more to see. And also…much more to endure."

Kaiba, already half asleep again, glanced at Iwaku—but the spirit had faded, leaving him alone in the room.

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**Review, please!**

**PS: In case you were wondering about the title, 'Iwaku no Seirei' means 'Spirit of the Past'.**


	3. Touza No Seirei

**Third chapter! And it's a long one! Yaay, long chappies!  
Oh, and just as a side note--if you don't like this fic, then for Ra's sake, don't read it! Quit chewing _me_ out about it!  
(coughTRAVELLINGREVIEWERcough)

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Touza No Seirei **

BONNG! BONNG!

For the second time that night, Kaiba was jolted out of sleep. He stepped nervously out from behind the hangings, waiting. Waiting for whatever would happen next. He felt that nothing would surprise him now.

Until the sudden piping of a flute behind him made him nearly jump out of his skin.

He whipped around—and came face to face with a girl. She was also as tall as he. Her long, reddish-brown hair nearly touched the floor, and her amber eyes glittered with mischief. She wore a simple green dress that swept the floor, and a circlet of vines rested on her head. Kaiba noted the resemblance between her and Shizuka as another freak incident.

She was piping on what appeared to be a hand-carved wood flute. As she played her tune, vines grew out of nowhere, until they covered the walls. Kaiba stared at the vines, rubbing his eyes every now and then. As one began to curl around his toe, he took and unconscious step backwards.

The girl stopped playing with a laugh, and the vines ceased their creeping. "Seto Kaiba, you don't enjoy nature's bounty?"

"I've never had much time to enjoy it," Kaiba admitted quietly.

The girl nodded cheerily. "Well, we'll fix that, won't we?"

Kaiba gave his head a little shake. "Sure. And—who are you again?"

The girl giggled. "I haven't introduced myself, have I?" She curtsied. "I am Touza—the Spirit of Christmas Present. You've never seen me before?"

"No…"

"You've never been out with one of my elder brothers or sisters at this very time of year?"

"I can't say that I have."

Touza sighed. "You're a difficult one." She flashed him another cheery smile—and he was once more reminded of Shizuka.

Her smile widened. "Didn't Iwaku tell you, Kaiba? Every being has a sibling in every realm—be they angels, humans, demons, or Earth-spirits. Iwaku is the angel brother of Ryou; I am the Earth-spirit sister of Shizuka."

Well, that explained all the freaky resemblances. Kaiba nodded, determined to remember it.

Touza held out her hand. "Shall we go?"

Kaiba choked down the automatic, "Go where?", and took Touza's hand. She played a long, trilling note on her flute—and suddenly, they were outside. And it was daytime.

Children laughed and sang as they ran through the streets, playing in the snow. The adults were more poised, but they still grinned widely as they wished each other Merry Christmas.

"Come on," Touza said impatiently. "We'll walk—it's not too far from here."

Unlike last night, when he'd been in a hurry to get home, Kaiba studied the decorations around him. They were beautiful, he admitted grudgingly. The inhabitants of Domino City had definitely put some care into the decorating.

"Here we are!" Touza chirruped, breaking Kaiba out of his reverie. "Come on!"

Kaiba started, realizing it was the Kame Game Shop. The sign on the door read 'Closed until Further Notice'.

Touza made a sort of "tsk"ing noise. "That sign's been there for years."

For the first time in years, Kaiba began to feel a little guilty.

"Well?" Touza asked impatiently, tapping at him from the other side of the glass in the big display window. Kaiba jumped—he hadn't seen that Touza had gone ahead of him. He slipped in after her.

There was a roar of laughter from the kitchen area, which was where the two of them walked to. Kaiba looked around, shocked.

Just about everyone was there. Mai, Malik, Ryou, Bakura, Honda, and Yami were all sitting in the kitchen, talking and laughing.

Touza smiled at Kaiba. "They all look so happy, don't they?"

Kaiba could only nod in agreement. As he looked around, he noted three people were missing. Jonouchi and Shizuka weren't there—and neither were Anzu or Yuugi.

Bakura suddenly looked up. "Someone's at the door."

At that moment, the shop door flew open with a bang. Jonouchi marched into the kitchen, carrying a small stack of packages. He was singing 'Deck the Halls', loudly and rather off-key. Shizuka was right behind him, giggling so hard she looked unable to breathe properly. By the time Jonouchi reached the kitchen table, everyone in the room was in a similar state as Shizuka

"Hey, guys!" Jonouchi exclaimed, plopping down at the table. "When's dinneh? I'm starvin'!" He looked around. "An' where's Yuug?"

"Upstairs," Yami replied. "He asked me not to bring him down until you guys showed up."

Everyone stared at him, and he blinked. "Oh—yeah. He wrote it down."

Jonouchi grinned. "Well, go get 'im!"

Yami nodded, and darted up the stairs. Jonouchi looked around. "So, what'd I miss?"

"Not much," Bakura replied, idly drumming his fingers on the table. "His highness-ness is all up and excited about this guest he's invited—some girl he says he hasn't seen in ages."

"He said _we'll_ know her, too," Honda added. "But he won't say anything else."

At that moment, Yami pattered back down the stairs. "He's coming—just give him a few minutes." Everyone waited, quietly and expectantly.

Soon, there was the sound of quick feet on the stairway, and Yuugi bounded in. He was wearing his usual black tanktop and jeans, but his feet were bare—and, for some strange reason, he was carrying a Dark Magician plushie.

Kaiba raised his eyebrows. He knew Yuugi had always acted young for his age—but this was going a little too far.

Touza sighed. "It's not what you think, Kaiba. Don't you remember that accident with the de-railed bullet train? And how Yami could barely work that week because he was distracted, and he was constantly glancing at the clock and pacing around the offices?"

Kaiba nodded, still watching Yuugi—who was now sitting in Yami's lap, getting his hair tousled by Jonouchi. "I remember—I dismissed it as a bad week."

Touza snorted. "You weren't listening, were you? Everyone was asking him what was wrong, and you were often in the same room." She leaned forward to emphasize her point. "_Yuugi was on that train._"

Kaiba stared at her. She nodded grimly. "He was in the hospital that whole week. They think he has brain damage—he never talks, and acts like such a little kid. But they don't know for sure, because he won't go anywhere near the machines. And he's never had any problems—sure he acts young, but he's still smart, and he still knows how to _use_ the knowledge."

Kaiba felt guilt creeping up on him, as he watched Yuugi jump at Jonouchi because the older boy had taken his plushie. He hadn't known—he hadn't even paid attention.

Suddenly, Yuugi froze. He darted over and yanked on Yami's sleeve. Yami, looked down, confusion written on his face. Yuugi pointed to the shop door, and yanked on Yami's sleeve again.

Yami's eyes lit up like lamps, and he stood up. "You all wait here. My guest has arrived." He went into the shop, and bells were hear as he opened the door and shut it again.

Everyone immediately turned to Yuugi. "Do you have any idea who Yami's 'special guest' is?" Ryou asked

Yuugi shook his head. He then flashed a secretive grin, which plainly told them that even if he did know, he wouldn't have told.

Yami entered the room again, a triumphant grin on his face. Behind him was—

"Anzu!" everyone exclaimed.

Anzu grinned. "Hey, guys—I just got back from America yesterday!"

Yuugi bounded up and gave her a hug. Anzu smiled, tousling his hair. "Hey, Yuugi. How've you been?" Yuugi simply smiled up at her.

Yami clapped his hands together. "Well, now that everyone's here, we can begin the dinner! Honda, Jonouchi, Bakura, would you mind giving me a hand with the food?"

Soon, the small table was groaning with food. Everyone dug in—none more so than Jonouchi. As they ate, Anzu answered question after question about her trip to America.

"I didn't know she'd gone to America," Kaiba murmured.

Touza shrugged. "That's because you don't pay attention."

Suddenly, Kaiba heard something that snapped him back to reality.

"I propose a toast—to Seto Kaiba."

Everyone in the room fell silent, staring at Yami. The former pharaoh was standing, holding up his glass.

Honda shook his head. "Come again?"

Yami shrugged. "Hey, the boss-man deserves a toast."

Jonouchi snorted. "He don't even pay ya enough ta keep dis place from fallin' down around yer ears!"

"But he _does_ pay me," Yami countered.

Shizuka sighed. "I saw him last night, when I was out with the carol group. He's always so distant…especially on Christmas."

Anzu growled slightly. "I wish he were here now. I'd give him a piece of my mind, for sure!"

Yami smiled slightly, raising his glass again. "To the man who swallowed his pride enough to give me a job, even if it _is_ minimum wage—Seto Kaiba."

Jonouchi growled. "Only 'cos I like you." He raised his glass. "To Rich-boy."

"To Kaiba," everyone else said at the same time.

Yuugi raised his glass—silent, as usual, but grinning widely.

"Come on," Touza murmured, pulling Kaiba's arm. "That's enough for one night."

She trilled on her flute again—and they were back in Kaiba's room, which was now free of vines.

Kaiba sat down on his bed, his mind racing. "Yuugi…is he going to be okay?"

Touza didn't answer. When Kaiba looked up, she was gone.

There was a loud crash of thunder right outside his window—and suddenly, the scene changed. He was sitting on a lump of rock in the middle of a thick grey mist—and a hooded, cloaked figure was coming right towards him.

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**I'm sure you can guess what 'Touza no Seirei' is, so I won't say anything.**

**Review, please!**


	4. Shourai No Seirei

**Sorry 'bout the wait, folks--I wasn't allowed on the computer for a while. But hopefully I'll be back on my normal schedual now!  
****Anyway, here's the second-to-last chapter! Enjoy!

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Shourai No Seirei**

Kaiba felt fear growing in his gut as the figure drew closer. Around him, everything was utterly silent. The mist around him twisted into grotesque shapes, and faint, bodiless voices seemed to cry out in grief.

The figure stopped walking when it was about four feet away. Kaiba shuddered—the hood was so dark that he couldn't see the spirit's face.

Oh, yes, he knew it was the third spirit—there was no doubt about that.

"Who…are you?" he whispered.

No answer. The figure just stood there, silent; watching.

Kaiba laughed nervously. "What are you? Mute?"

Still no answer.

_He won't speak,_ one of the echoing, bodiless voices whispered in Kaiba's ear. _He is Shourai, the Spirit of Christmas Future. He's seen so many horrors that, if he were to speak, it'd be a terror to listen to what he had to say._

Kaiba gave his head a little shake. "I fear him," he murmured to the voice.

There was a soft laugh. _You should. He's come to show you your future, and it isn't a bright one._

Suddenly, Shourai stirred. He held out one hand, and Kaiba got the feeling of a tiny presence scurrying away. The hooded cloak lifted—and Kaiba saw that it wasn't a cloak at all, but bat-like wings of jet black. They sprang from between Shourai's shoulder blades—and as he furled them, Kaiba could take a good look at the spirit himself.

Shourai had chalky blond hair that reached halfway down his back, and empty, staring violet eyes. His face was gaunt, and had what looked like a permanent expression of horror and disgust. He wore a black shirt and baggy black pants.

_He looks like that Ishtar boy,_ Kaiba thought. _But…what was it Touza said? Something about look-alikes in every realm…_

He tried to remember the three other realms Touza had told him of. _Angel, Earth-spirit, and demon…and I've already met the first two. Shourai… he must be demon._

Shourai nodded in assent. He stretched out his hand, and indicated that Kaiba was to hold it.

Slowly and reluctantly, Kaiba took the spirit's hand. He shivered—Shourai's skin was icy cold.

Shourai nodded, and spread his bat-like wings. With one powerful stroke, they were away, flying through utter darkness. Kaiba felt cold; numb. Something bad was about to happen—he knew it.

Shourai lit down on cold hard pavement, and let go of Kaiba's hand. He wrapped his wings around his body, once more giving the impression of a cloak, and began to walk. Kaiba followed, looking around.

They were in a city. It resembled Domino—but there was no green anywhere. In the Domino _he_ knew, there was the park—and trees that had been grown in special spots on the sidewalks. But this city was totally industrial—all steel and concrete.

_This is Domino City in the future,_ the small, disembodied voice whispered. It was stronger now—closer—and didn't echo.

Kaiba started, and looked around. "You followed me?"

_No,_ it replied sadly. _This is where I live. This is **my** realm. **My** time._

For some reason, Kaiba found that voice naggingly familiar.

_I'm tired now,_ it whispered, fading. _I'm going to rest…goodbye…_

And then it was gone.

Shourai stopped, and pointed to a building. Kaiba followed his finger—and gaped. It was the KaibaCorp HQ.

Shourai then pointed to a bench right outside the door. Three men in business suits were sitting there. Kaiba drew closer, trying to hear what they were saying.

"I've never met such an arrogant boy," the first was saying. "He didn't care about anything except his business—and beating ol' Yami Mutou."

"Boy?" the second asked skeptically. "How old _was_ he?"

"Twenty," the third replied. "At his death, anyway. And that was—how long ago? A year, almost."

The second businessman laughed. "It's a good thing he died when he did—now all that money can be put to a more practical use than sitting about in a bank vault, rotting."

"If I knew how to get to it," the first cut in, "I'd have done what _he_ should have a long time ago and donated to charity."

"I'd help furnish the hospitals and mental institutes," the third added. "Have you ever visited one of those places? They're all _modern—_as in, no comfort whatsoever."

The second businessman shrugged. "Well, what _he_ did in death was the same thing he did in life—hid the money in a safe somewhere, locked it, and hid the key. Figuratively speaking, of course."

Kaiba shut his eyes, edging slowly backwards. He knew they were talking about him—about KaibaCorp.

He backed up right into Shourai. The spirit looked down at him for a moment, and then turned and began to walk away. Kaiba followed, looking around at the concrete-and-steel city.

The future of Domino scared him slightly. Despite the fact that he was usually locked inside his offices all day every day—or, perhaps, because of it—he liked seeing green, growing things. But here, there were no plants—no sign of any life at all, except the cars that zoomed past every now and then.

Shourai stepped through the door of a grey, three-story building. Confused, Kaiba followed. The spirit led him up the stairs to the second floor, and pointed at a door. Taking the hint, Kaiba stepped through it.

What he saw left him speechless.

They were in a small room. There was a big window with chairs in front of it, and a door next to it. In front of the door stood a guard, and in one of the chairs, hands pressed up against the glass and nose inches away from it, sat Yami.

Kaiba had never seen the pharaoh stare at anything with such intensity. He was stiff as a board and completely still.

"What's wrong with him?" Yami asked softly, not taking his eyes off of whatever was on the other side of the glass.

"It's one of those nightmares," the guard replied.

Yami nodded. He closed his eyes, and Kaiba saw a tear run down his cheek.

Shourai gave him a little nudge with his hand. Kaiba sighed, stepping forward and pushing through the glass. He looked around in surprise—and then in shock.

The room was empty and absolutely white. There was no color anywhere. Even the metal parts of the tiny cot in the middle of the room were painted white. The only part of the wall that _wasn't_ stark white was the tinted window. And lying on the sheets, in a white long-sleeved shirt and white sweatpants, was—

Kaiba could hardly believe his eyes. Yuugi was on the cot, eyes closed. He was thrashing and starting—as the guard had said, having a major nightmare. Suddenly, he sat bolt upright.

Kaiba started. When Mokuba would wake up from nightmares, he would have horror or fear on his face. But Yuugi's face was utterly expressionless. Dead, haunted eyes scanned the room—finally coming to rest on Kaiba.

The small voice that had been following him gave a short bark of bitter laughter. _I see you, Seto Kaiba._

Kaiba took a step backward, his eyes full of shock. "No. _Yuugi?_"

_It's me._ Yuugi's face remained expressionless, but his eyes began to burn. _You see what they've done to me? Because I never talked—because I was different, and because I acted different. I couldn't control what happened to me, and look at where they've put me._ He glanced over at the glass. _I don't know if anyone comes to see me—I **can't** know. They won't **let** me know._

"Someone _is_ there," Kaiba said quietly, forgetting that Yuugi was the only one who could hear him. "Mutou is."

Yuugi's eyes burned. _His name is Yami! I hate it when you call him that! Mutou, Mutou, that's all you ever call him! His name is **Yami!**_

Kaiba stared. He didn't know Yuugi could get that fierce about such a small thing.

Suddenly, Yuugi's eyes turned sad, and he looked longingly at the glass. _Is he really there?_ _Really? I want to see him… my friend…my brother…_

Shourai put a hand on Kaiba's shoulder. Kaiba jumped—he hadn't realized that the sprit had followed him.

_I suppose you'll have to go now,_ Yuugi said sadly. _I was starting to enjoy the company…even if it **is** just you._

Kaiba winced. "I know this probably doesn't mean anything to you, but…I'm sorry."

_For what?_ Yuugi asked bitterly. _Sorry about the fact that I wound up here? There's not much you can do about that._

"Not that." Kaiba hesitated, looking for the right words. "I'm sorry that I've been such a bastard to you and Mu—Yami. That's just the way I am. I was taught that perfection was the only state a man could attain to be accepted…and with you two constantly defeating me…"

Yuugi's eyes were grave. _I understand._ For the first time, he smiled slightly. _And remember—**you** said it, not me._

"Very funny," Kaiba muttered.

Shourai tapped his shoulder again, spreading his wings.

Kaiba took Shourai's hand, and looked back at Yuugi. "I'll try and fix this—I promise."

Shourai raised his wings, and they were about to take off, when—

_Does he have to go…**there?**_ Yuugi asked apprehensively.

Shourai nodded gravely.

_But…_

Kaiba couldn't hear what was said next. All he knew was that Shourai listened, and then nodded. Yuugi let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief.

Shourai raised his wings again, and flapped them hard. Once more, they flew through darkness—and then, they were in a cemetery.

Kaiba looked around. Fog swam through the cemetery, partially obscuring vision. Tombstones were dotted here and there; some were fancy, some humble.

Shourai pointed to one of the fancier ones. An angel was carved on the left, a demon on the right. They were touching wings. Beneath the curve of the wings was carved a Blue-Eyes White Dragon. And beneath that were the words;

**Seto Kaiba  
****CEO of Kaiba Corporation  
****Master of the Blue-Eyes  
****R. I. P.**

Kaiba stared at it. It was a beautiful headstone, to tell the truth—what scared him was the fact that it was _his_ headstone.

"Shourai…why are you showing me this?"

Shourai pushed him a bit. He stumbled forward—and gaped in shock. The grave was dug out, and nothing was there.

He turned to Shourai—and saw that the spirit had folded his wings about himself again, and was pointing into the grave.

"No," Kaiba whispered. "Do I…do I have to?"

Shourai didn't reply—he simply continued to point into the grave.

"Why?" Kaiba asked quietly. "I promised to help—and if I die now, I won't be able to."

Shourai shook his head. A deep voice echoed in his ears; _'Tis not death that awaits you, Seto Kaiba. Jump. All will be well._

Kaiba took a deep breath—and sprang into the grave. He fell down…and down…and down…and—

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**Cliffies! MUAHAHAHAHA!**

**Happy New Year, everybody! Review please!**


	5. New Friends

**Whoo...final chapter. This was fun to write! I hope y'all enjoy the last chapter--it's really fun! And happy! And fluffy!  
****Hooray for fluffiness!

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New Friends **

Kaiba sat bolt upright in his bed, looking wildly around. The hangings were open. The digital clock on the bed stand read nine o'clock. Morning light filtered into the room through the half-open shades on his window.

Feeling strangely light, Kaiba stood up and opened the window. Outside, the air was crisp and cool. Laughter and shouts echoed up to him from the street below. People were singing Christmas carols at the top of their lungs. A soft layer of snow covered everything, sparkling in the morning light.

"Merry Christmas," Kaiba murmured, a smile touching his lips.

Suddenly, he had an idea. He quickly dressed, and darted over to the closet. He almost reached for his usual trench coat—then thought better of it, digging deeper into his closet. He pulled out an evergreen green trench coat with a sprig of fake holly in the buttonhole. Mokuba had bought it for him—only days before he died.

Tears prickled in Kaiba's eyes as he thought of his little brother.

As Iwaku had reminded him, Mokuba had died of cancer a few years ago. Even with all the advanced surgery and medicines Kaiba had paid for, he had still died…

Kaiba fought back his tears, and slipped into the trench coat. He was surprised to find that it fit exactly like his normal one.

He called up the KaibaCorp HQ and told his secretary to tell everyone that they had the day off. She was surprised, but promised to spread the word to other employees immediately.

That done, Kaiba headed out onto the street. He wandered around a bit, enjoying the day as he'd never enjoyed anything before. Everyone and everything was bright and cheerful. The street decorations glimmered in the morning sun.

On one corner, he found the carol group from the night before—minus Shizuka, whom he decided was most likely at Jonouchi's house. The collection box was empty at the moment, which meant they must have just got out there.

Unlike last night, he paused to listen to them sing. There were a few kids who were off-key, but overall, they were pretty good.

Suddenly, he noticed a tall boy with white hair standing at the back of the choir. He winked, and Kaiba caught a flicker of white robes and wings.

He slipped a hundred-dollar bill into the collection box and went his way, smiling to himself.

He continued to walk the streets of Domino city, pausing every now and then to peer into different shops. His mood was jovial and cheerful—he felt better than he had in years. At one of the shops, he saw something that he figured a certain someone would love, so he bought it.

Eventually, he made his way to the park. He sat down on one of the benches and closed his eyes, just enjoying the weather.

With a shudder, he remembered the future of Domino City. No plants anywhere—all steel and concrete.

_I won't let that happen,_ he promised himself.

He heard a rustle of fabric, and cracked one eye open. A boy with chalky blond hair was watching him, the ghost of a smile on his face. Kaiba caught a flash of dark clothes and midnight black wings.

He must have zoned for longer than he thought, because when he opened his eyes again, the sun was farther west. Glancing at his watch, he realized he'd drifted off for two hours—it was four thirty.

There was one place, he decided, that he really needed to go. Slowly, he made his way to the other end of the city—to the Kame game shop.

He had nearly reached his destination when something in one of the shop windows caught his eye. With a little smile, he entered the shop, and bought them. When the clerk asked if he would like them wrapped, he nodded. She then gave him a gold-ink pen to sign his name on a little card. Smiling, he did so.

The girl beamed at him, and he thought he heard the pure trilling of a flute, catching a flicker of a green dress. He exited the shop, package tucked under his arm.

He opened the door to the game shop carefully, so as not to disturb the bells tied to the doorjamb. He slipped in, shut the door, and crept towards the kitchen. Almost as an afterthought, he slipped his gifts behind all the other presents under the Christmas tree. He halted right outside the kitchen door, listening.

"…to Seto Kaiba."

As in his visit with Touza, all motion ceased in the kitchen. The same words were exchanged as before.

This time, though, in the moment of silence that followed, Kaiba stepped into sight, chuckling. "I'm touched."

Everyone jumped. There was a tinkling of glass as Shizuka accidentally dropped her cup.

Malik stared at him. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"And how did you get in?" Honda demanded.

Kaiba shrugged nonchalantly. "The door was open. I was just careful not to ring the bells." He turned to Malik. "And, to answer _your_ question, I'm here for the party."

At this point, everyone in the room was staring at him, slack-jawed.

All except Yuugi. He carefully set his Dark Magician plushie on his chair, and then ran up and gave Kaiba a big hug.

Kaiba was startled, and it showed on his face. Jonouchi sniggered. Everyone else sweatdropped.

"I really _have_ been a bastard, haven't I?" Kaiba said, slowly and thoughtfully.

Yuugi backed off a little, nodding gravely. That sent everyone into gales of laughter.

Well, everyone but Jonouchi. He marched up to Kaiba and pointed 'the accusatory finger' in his face. "I still don' trust ya."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Don't, then," he said irritably. "I didn't come so that I could figure out who hates me and who doesn't. We already know that everyone in this room happens to hate and distrust me. So, if you don't mind, I'll stand right here and watch you guys have your party."

He cast a sideling glance at Yami. "Unless someone in particular wants me out of his house, which I can understand if he does."

Yami's face, which had an expression of surprise on it until now, broke into a grin. "Of course you can join us, if you'd like!"

"_What!_" Jonouchi exclaimed.

"You can't be serious!" Honda said at the same time.

"You're joking!" Bakura exclaimed.

"I'm serious," Yami said gravely. "Kaiba came of his own free will, so he deserves to have a place at this gathering."

Kaiba grinned. "Oh, I need to talk to you," he said, jabbing his finger at Yami. "It's about your job."

Everyone fell silent. Yami fidgeted nervously. "What, right now?"

Kaiba shrugged. "If you want. Come over here, in the shop…"

Yami followed him, anxiety in his eyes. "Yes?"

Kaiba looked him square in the eye. "Mind if I cut to the chase?"

"N-Not at all," Yami stammered nervously.

Kaiba's face relaxed into a grin. "You're my best employee, and I've been paying you too little."

"But I—wait a minute, what?"

Kaiba laughed. "I'm raising your salary. This place _really_ needs some work."

Yami stared at him for a moment. Suddenly, he burst out laughing. "You really are a different person!"

Kaiba shrugged, still grinning. "That I am. Now, I think you'll be wanting to tell the rest of the dork squad the good news, so let's get back to them, shall we?"

Yami nodded, and darted back into the kitchen. Kaiba followed, still smiling.

Suddenly, Yuugi looked up. He yanked on Yami's sleeve, pointed at the tree, and began jumping up and down.

Yami nodded, and looked around. "I think Yuugi would like to open presents now. Do you guys agree?"

Shizuka grinned. "Sure!"

Everyone else nodded. With a grin, Yuugi dove at the pile, pulling presents off one at a time and passing them to Yami, who read the nametags and tossed them to their owners.

Kaiba watched from his corner, a small smile on his face. They were really enjoying themselves.

Eventually, Yuugi came to the two presents in gold wrapping paper that had been pushed behind the tree. One was lumpy and oblong, and the other was thin and rectangular. He picked up the lumpy one, looked at the name, and then showed it to Yami.

Yami's eyes widened momentarily, and then his face broke into a grin. "To: Yuugi Mutou—From: Seto Kaiba."

Yuugi smiled brightly at Kaiba, and then tore off the wrapping paper with gusto. Inside was a Dark Magician Girl plushie. He held it close for a minute, then ran over and hugged Kaiba.

"Can't…breathe…runt!" Kaiba gasped. Everyone collapsed into laughter as Yuugi backed away, a sheepish expression on his face.

Yami reached under the tree and pulled out the final present. His face broke out into another grin when he read the name tag. "To: The Whole Dork Squad—From: Seto Kaiba."

Kaiba grinned. "Hey, it was easier than writing out everyone's names. Here—I'd better do that one."

Yami passed it to him. He tore the paper off, revealing a black box with a plastic lid. Inside, lined in a row, were ten rings of silver, with different colored stones set in them. There was also a sheet of paper. Kaiba opened the box, pulled out the paper, and began to read.

"These are the Rings of Friendship. Each color refers to a different pillar of emotion in a group—the things that tie you all together."

Kaiba pulled out the ring with an opal on it, and gave it to Yuugi. "White is for Innocence—that openness and honesty that makes you so loveable."

The ring with the ruby on it went to Yami. "Red is for Bravery—you will do anything to shield your friends from harm, even if it meant sacrificing yourself."

The yellow topaz went to Jonouchi. "Yellow is for Loyalty—you are honest and true, and have no qualms about speaking your mind."

The rose quartz went to Shizuka. "Pink is for Empathy—you are aware of the way others think, and are able to calm them down with a single word or action."

The emerald went to Mai. "Green is for Attitude—you have a lot of it, but every group of friends needs some kick to it."

The amethyst went to Anzu. "Purple is for Togetherness—if there are ruffled feathers around, you are the one who soothes them. You act as the twine that keeps the group from falling apart."

The smoky quartz went to Malik. "Grey is for the Loner—the one who is still cautious of the friendship, but is beginning to open up."

The sapphire went to Honda. "Blue is for Trustworthiness—no matter how much pressure, you would never reveal a friend's secret to anyone."

The quartz crystal went to Ryou. "Clear is for the Emotionalist—you wear your feelings on your sleeve, and are more often than not the reason friends end fights. They can see it upsets you greatly."

The carnelian went to Bakura. "Orange is for the Prankster—you love to joke around, but sometimes you can't seem to figure out when the joke's up."

Kaiba set the box down on the table. "That's all of them."

Everyone was silent for a few moments, admiring their new rings. Ryou glanced absently into the box—and started. "Kaiba, you forgot one!"

"What are you talking about?" Kaiba scoffed. "There are only ten!"

Yami picked up the box. "He's right—there's one more in here."

Kaiba blinked as Yami pulled an eleventh ring out of the box. It was set with what looked like obsidian.

Anzu grabbed the paper from off the table, and ran a finger down the list of colors. She laughed out loud. "Guys! Come and read what it says!"

All the others gathered around behind her, reading. Kaiba just watched them suspiciously. He could have sworn there were only ten rings when he bought the box.

"You think we should?" Shizuka asked.

Jonouchi nodded vigorously. "Heck yeah. It fits 'im perfectly."

Yami grinned. "Heads up, Kaiba!" He tossed the ring.

Kaiba caught it, and held it in the palm of his hand as Yami read the passage aloud.

"Black is for the Outcast—the one who had never experienced friendship until joining the group of friends. Sometimes bitter and often angry at nothing in particular, you're hard to be around, but it's possible to soften up among new friends."

Kaiba stared deep into the dark obsidian, thinking. He had a second chance; he was going to use it.

Bakura elbowed Ryou. "Now, baka! Do it now!"

Ryou blushed. "_Now!_" he exclaimed.

"Yes, now, tonchiki!"

Ryou blushed even harder. Mumbling to himself, he pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket, and chucked it across the room at Anzu. She caught it, and opened it. Inside was a beautifully crafted diamond ring.

"Since we were on the subject of rings, anyway," Ryou mumbled, his face already as red as a tomato.

There was dead silence for a few moments, as everyone looked between Ryou and Anzu.

Anzu beamed at him. "Of course, Ryou."

Everyone burst out into applause.

"This calls for a celebration!" Malik yelled above the noise. "Drinks all around! Break out the wine!"

"I don't have any," Yami proclaimed smugly.

Malik growled at him.

"I do have Sprite, though. You can pour us some of that."

Malik's face lit up, and he darted off to the kitchen to pour everyone glasses of Sprite.

Yuugi sat quietly in a corner with his Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl plushies, watching as his friends—including Kaiba—congratulated Anzu and Ryou. He stood up and walked over, smiling at them.

"Kami-sama bless," he said, slowly and clearly.

All motion ceased. Everyone stared at Yuugi, who was beaming proudly.

Yami slowly moved forward. Kaiba saw tears brimming in his eyes. "Yuugi…you…spoke…?"

Yuugi thought for a moment, and then nodded proudly. "Yes."

With a glad cry, Yami hugged him tightly. Everyone else joined in—even Kaiba found himself entangled in the group hug.

_So this is what real friendship feels like,_ he thought contentedly. _I'll never let myself fall again—never. I swear it._

He felt a moment of vertigo, and then Iwaku, Touza, and Shourai were standing there, in all their ethereal glory. The happy shouts around him died to a murmur.

"You have done well by our lessons," Iwaku said quietly. "Stay well."

Touza nodded. "Remember to do everything in your power to preserve happiness and health."

Shourai just looked at him, conveying a grave sort of pride.

And then the three of them were gone, replaced by Otogi.

Something was different about him, though. His eyes no longer held that haunted look—and the chain was no longer bound to his ankles.

"Kaiba!" he laughed, his eyes bright. "My old partner! I'm free!"

Kaiba smiled softly at him. "I'm happy for you."

Otogi beamed right back at him. "Not as much as I am for you—you've been saved from everything I went through."

Suddenly, he was gone. Sound rose to its usual level, and Kaiba realized that Yuugi was tugging on his sleeve.

"Friends?" the shorter boy asked quietly.

Kaiba smiled at him. "Friends. Now, let's go see if there's any Sprite left, neh?"

**OWARI

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So? Was it any good? I did tell you it was gonna be fluffy!**

Review, please! Cookies all around!


	6. Epilogue: I Still Remember

**I felt wrong, leaving you all like that--so I made an epilogue! Hooray for epilogues!

* * *

Epilogue  
I Still Remember  
****_One Year Later_**

Kaiba sat alone in the park, enjoying the feeling of being alive and being one with nature.

Contrary to Shourai's vision, he was _not_ dead—nor was Domino City a steel wasteland. In fact, you wouldn't know the place was a bustling city unless you looked carefully under the brightly-flowering vines that had been trained to creep over buildings and around windows. More trees had been planted, as well—it was as if this park had flourished and spread to cover the whole of Domino City.

A small smile crossed his face. _Mokuba would have liked it here now. He was always complaining about the lack of greenery…_

He looked down at his hands, which were on his lap, fingers laced. The dark obsidian on his ring glimmered in the sun.

That ring had been the turning point of his entire life. He was officially a member of the 'dork squad', and didn't even mind. There was no doubt that he had changed.

"'_Nii-san…"_

Kaiba jerked his head up. He could have sworn he heard Mokuba's voice.

"_Seto…I miss you…"_

Kaiba looked wildly around. No one was there.

Someone was playing tricks on him—he figured it was Jonouchi or Honda. _Little creeps…_ _Ah, what am I doing? It was that kind of thinking that got me in trouble in the first place!_

Something right in front of where he sat caught his eye, and he turned. Motes of pure, clear light were floating towards him, collecting in one spot. There was a flash, and the motes coalesced, resolving into the semi-transparent form of a boy. He had shaggy black hair and sad brown eyes.

And on his back were lavender wings shading to crimson at the tips.

"_Seto…"_

"M-Mokuba?" Kaiba stammered.

Mokuba nodded. There were tears in his eyes. _"I miss you, Seto…I want to come home…"_

Kaiba smiled softly. "You _are_ home, otouto (little brother). It's just a different home."

Mokuba threw himself at Kaiba, tears streaming down his cheeks. _"It's not the same, 'nii-san! Not without you!"_

Kaiba held his brother, marveling at the wings tightly furled against his back. They were almost exactly like Iwaku's, except for the coloring.

"But you're an _angel_ now, Mokuba," he murmured. "Angels work for good. I work for good. When my time comes, I'll be right up there with you."

Mokuba sniffed, and looked up. _"Promise?"_

Kaiba sighed. "It's not something I can _promise,_ but I'll try my best. That's all anyone can do."

Mokuba studied his face. _"You're a lot different now—in a better way."_ He cocked his head, as if listening to something. _"I have to go now, Seto—He's calling me back."_

Kaiba smiled softly again as Mokuba spread his lavender wings. "Stay well, tenchi otouto—angel brother."

Mokuba smiled back, tears still rolling down his cheeks. He gave his wings a powerful flap—

And was gone.

Kaiba sank back onto the bench, sighing. He was happy for his brother—of _course_ he was—but now he missed Mokuba even more.

"Kaiba?"

Kaiba jumped, and looked up. Yuugi was standing in front of him, amethyst eyes gleaming with mischief.

Yuugi's speech had been slowly improving ever since those first few words—_Kami-sama bless_—and his childlike attitude was also beginning to fade, although even slower.

"Saw angel," Yuugi whispered.

That caught Kaiba off guard. "Wha—?"

"Saw angel!" Yuugi repeated impatiently. "Saw Mokuba. Didn't hear, just saw." He cocked his head a little. "Miss you?"

Kaiba nodded slowly. "And I miss him…"

Yuugi beamed at him. "Don't worry. Good person, you are. Will be angel, too."

Kaiba smiled at him. "I'm glad you think so."

Yuugi shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "Didn't for a long time. Thought you be demon or something. You change." He held up the hand with the opal ring on it. "This prove."

Kaiba nodded slowly. "I have changed, haven't I?"

Yuugi nodded. "Yep." Suddenly, his eyes brightened. "Ice cream?"

Kaiba burst out laughing. "Was that the _only_ reason you came to find me? Because you wanted ice cream?"

Yuugi grinned sheepishly. "Yep."

Kaiba pretended to scowl. "No. No more ice cream."

Yuugi's immediate response was to give him the _meiun no koinu metsuki_—or, as we Americans like to call it, the puppy-eyes of doom.

Kaiba threw up his arms. "All right, all right! I'll buy you some ice cream!"

Yuugi began to jump excitedly. "Ice cream, ice cream! Vanilla ice cream!" He shot off down the sidewalk, towards the ice cream stand.

Kaiba followed at a walk, smiling to himself. He had never known that having friends was this much fun—and he never would have, if not for Iwaku, Touza, and Shourai.

_Wherever you three are right now…thank you. You've changed my life for the better._

He thought a moment. _And…thank you for letting me see my brother again…_

"ICE CREAM!" Yuugi shouted suddenly from behind him, making him jump almost a foot in the air.

"_Yuugi!_"

"Didn't do nothing!"

Kaiba pretended to growl at him. "I'm going to get you for that one!"

Yuugi laughed as Kaiba began to chase him. They went all over the park, finally stopping at the ice cream stand. Kaiba ordered two vanilla ice cream cones, and he and Yuugi sat down at the nearest picnic table to eat them.

Yuugi grinned at Kaiba, digging into his cone. "We good friends, yeah?"

Kaiba smiled at him. "Yeah—we're really good friends."

**And they continued to be, throughout the rest of their lives.**

**And when Kaiba died peacefully in his sleep, years later, he was still their friend—and he watched them all from Heaven, standing beside his little brother, dark blue wings waving their sorrows away.

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**

I thought that last part would be kinda sweet...even if it is kind of religious...

Okay, just asking--what are your guys'favorite parts of the fic? I need to know, so that if I messed up somewhere, I won't do it again in another fic.

Review, please!


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